


Chip on Your Shoulder

by FayeHunter



Category: 5 Seconds of Summer (Band)
Genre: But like only the Chip on your shoulder song, Calum ended up being the hot UPS guy bc i mean come on, Legally Blonde AU, Luke is Elle Ashton is Emmett, M/M, Michael became Paulette if only for the bend and snap joke and he works in a music store instead
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-18
Updated: 2020-08-18
Packaged: 2021-03-05 22:14:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,058
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25972714
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FayeHunter/pseuds/FayeHunter
Summary: Luke's been at Harvard Law School for a week now and he just wants to go home.Or a scene from Legally Blonde The Musical
Relationships: But like pre-that, Luke Hemmings/Ashton Irwin, Michael Clifford/Calum Hood, vaguely in the background
Comments: 7
Kudos: 28





	Chip on Your Shoulder

**Author's Note:**

  * For [bellawritess](https://archiveofourown.org/users/bellawritess/gifts).



> This is my belated birthday gift to [Bella!](https://clumsyclifford.tumblr.com/) Darling, you are wonderful and amazing and talented and just the most amazing cheerleader and friend. So here is a completely self-indulgent little gift from Legally Blonde the Musical (also my apology for taking so long to do SITR). I hope I didn't change too much from the musical lol.
> 
> Shout out to [Liz](https://pushkinalexander.tumblr.com/) for editing this! Girl you're really sticking through alot.

Luke has been crying on the bench outside of the apartment for what feels like forever. He’s so stupid to have listened to Harry telling him that the party was a costume party. He’s cold, rejected, and upset, sitting outside in the dark in this stupid Playboy bunny costume Michael lent him. How is Jack supposed to take him seriously when he’s shown up to this stupid fancy lawyer party dressed up like  _ this. _ Now Jack thinks he’s even more of a joke for coming to Harvard, for following him all the way across the ocean just to prove that he loves him. Everyone has figured out he doesn’t belong here, right from when he got kicked out of class for not doing the readings and to now, showing up to a party dressed up in this ridiculous costume. It doesn’t matter to them that he’d gotten a 4.0 GPA at uni for his double major in business and music, that he’d aced the LSAT, that he’s come all the way out here to a new country for a second time to show Jack he can be taken seriously, because all anyone seems to think is that he’s some dumb blonde. And then he’d gone and called Harry a frigid bitch on top of it all. Maybe they were all right, maybe he should just go back to Australia, no matter what Michael says about him being smart and talented and funny. Michael has only known him for a few days. Jack has known him for years. Luke isn’t meant to do something like Harvard, especially if he’s only doing it to win Jack over.

Luke sniffles, wishing he’d thought to bring a jacket or tissues or something to wipe his nose on. He didn’t realize fall in America would be so cold. He just wants to go  _ home, _ back to Australia and the sun. He’s even willing to forgo his friends back in London, his little “greek chorus” of friends from his music program, if it just means he can get a hug from his mum and cry about being dumped and kicked out of law school after a week.

Luke hears someone clear their throat next to him. He startles, trying to rub his eyes as quickly as possible to make sure no one can see he’s been crying. Ashton, the TA from Callahan’s class, is standing next to the bench, brows furrowed and hands shoved into the pockets of his dark wash jeans. Great, just what Luke needs. The hot, Australian lawyer guy from his class saw him sitting here with bunny ears, crying in the middle of the night. Now Luke can’t even go back to class.

“Luke? What’s up...doc?” Ashton asks, lips quirked up at the corners to let Luke know he’s teasing him. Luke vaguely knows it’s a joke related to some old American cartoon but he can’t place it. 

Luke sniffles again against his will. “Love.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“I put my faith in love. And I came all the way out here, to another foreign country where I don’t know anyone besides my ex, to try and prove to him that I was serious and not just some dumb blonde with dreams of being a musician, to prove that I could do something of value, and look where it led me.”

“Hang on a minute-”

“Here! To this cold, miserable place! I wanted to be a singer or a producer or...or... something in music. But Jack wanted to marry someone serious. And I love him! So I studied and I took that stupid test and did all those applications to come here just to show him I was worth it. And now he’s engaged to someone else and I’m stuck in hell! I wish I was dead! I’m flunking out of school and everyone’s laughing at me and mocking me and I, I just want to go  _ home! _ ” Luke wails, burying his face into his hands and muffling another sob. The bunny ears flop down onto his forehead. Luke doesn’t even care about how ridiculous he looks anymore. It’s not like it matters. At the rate he’s going, he’ll probably be kicked out next week and Jack and Harry and all of their friends can laugh at him.

“Sorry, back up, you applied to Harvard Law School, which is a prestigious, exclusive, hard to get into university, to win back your ex? You didn’t even want to be a lawyer? You did all this for a guy? Fuck, what kind of rich, romantic planet are you from?”

“Sydney? Although I did go to uni in London.”

Ashton scoffs, rolling his eyes and looking away from Luke, crossing his arms, “That’s fucking mental is what that is. You wasted all this money, all this time, took someone else’s spot, just to get back your ex and then leave.”

Luke is suddenly filled with a burst of anger. Who’s Ashton to judge him? Ashton doesn’t know anything about him, doesn’t know anything about where he’s come from or how hard he worked to go to school in London, to get out of Sydney and do something with this life. Just because law wasn’t part of that plan doesn’t mean Luke isn’t as smart or determined or driven as Ashton.

“Well, why did  _ you _ come here then? There’s plenty of decent law schools in Australia. What makes you so special that you get to come here?”

Ashton lets out a sigh, sitting down on the bench next to Luke. He shrugs his jacket off, wrapping it around Luke’s shivering shoulders. It’s sweet and touching. Luke isn’t sure when the last time it was that someone did something nice like that for him. God knows every time Luke was cold back at uni Jack used to tell him he should have brought a jacket.

“I grew up in a not so great part of Australia. My dad left when I was young so it was just me and my mom and my younger siblings. I had to take care of everyone growing up. I decided to be a lawyer so that I could help people. I did uni and law school having to work two jobs while going to class. Some of us have to scrap by to get any kind of recognition. So forgive me if your little problem about your boyfriend dumping you doesn’t move me to tears.”

“Hey! Just because you’ve got some kind of chip on your shoulder at the world doesn’t mean you can take it out on me.” 

“So what if I do? I can’t waste any of the chances I have, I have to push forward. I’m so close to being able to work in Callahan’s law firm. I’m so close to my dream. I can’t throw that all away from any trivial thing that comes by. Maybe you need to get a little perspective on the world. When you don’t have privilege you have to work twice as hard.”

Luke frowns at that. Just because he didn’t work two jobs in uni or didn’t decide to become a lawyer for the same reasons at Ashton doesn’t mean he isn’t a hard worker. He was a double major! And he used to organize all those charity events for their music group. Besides, from what little Luke has actually learned in class before getting kicked out, law seems pretty interesting. 

Ashton stands to go, smiling at Luke, “Listen, I’d love to stay and chat all night, but I have to get back to my place and start prepping the week for your class. Just bring my jacket with you tomorrow, yeah?” Ashton turns to leave.

“Hold on,” Luke calls out. Ashton stops. “You worked two jobs? And went to school?”

Ashton turns back to Luke, smiling. “I haven’t slept in about fifteen years.”

“How’d you do it? I’ve only been here a week and I’m already floundering.”

“Well, I don’t go out and party for one thing. I don’t date much and I don’t go to the mall or the movies. I certainly don’t spend all my time on my hair or my makeup or staying in shape,” He gives Luke a once over as he says the words.

Luke blushes, suddenly self-conscious about his outfit. “Well, you don’t seem to have any problem with the last one. And I certainly don’t spend  _ hours  _ on my hair and makeup,” He mumbles. 

Ashton’s grin widens, “I’m not saying you don’t look nice. I’m just saying maybe if you spent less time trying to decide what eyeshadow would match your top the best and start spending it reading the required chapters for the week instead. I’m working this hard so that I can get my mom a nice place to live in back home.”

“Aw, that’s sweet.”

“No, I’m just driven to achieve my dreams. I’ve been given a once in a lifetime opportunity and I can’t waste that. Maybe you should think about that, Mr. Luke Hemmings, the next time you decide to not prepare for class. Maybe having your own chip on your shoulder would help.”

“No, I don’t need that, I just need to prove to everyone that I’m serious!” Luke insists, stopping himself at the last minute from stomping his foot. Ashton smirks.

“No, what you need is to get to work. Listen, have you done the readings at all?”

Luke shakes his head, embarrassed, looking down at his feet. Ashton sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose between his fingers. “I don’t usually do this, but I will help you. Just this once. I’ll read through tomorrow’s chapter with you and help you prepare for class.”

Luke shrieks in happiness, throwing his arms around Ashton in a hug, “Oh, thank you so much!”

“Alright, alright no need to get sappy on me. Come on, lead the way back to your dorm,” Ashton says, an exasperated smile on his face. Luke grins widely and leads them off in the direction of his room.

\-----

“Ta da!” Luke exclaims when they make it back, throwing the door to his room open. It’s smaller than the one he had back in London, but he’s managed to make it look like home. He’s hung pictures of his family and friends up, covered the room in his favorite color (pink), and even managed to give Petunia her own special place in the corner. “Make yourself at home.”

Luke starts to rummage around in his closet, looking for something else to put on that’s not the corset he’s currently wearing. Ashton looks around the room, raising an eyebrow. “Where are all your books?”

“They’re somewhere in that mess,” Luke says, waving vaguely at his desk where he’s stacked up his things for class. Ashton starts to dig around on the desk as Luke disappears into the closet to change. He can hear Ashton mumbling to himself.

“You drink a lot of coffee?”

“It gives me energy!” 

“For all that late night studying I’m sure,” Ashton says with a snort. 

Ashton lets out an exasperated huff. Luke pops his head around the closet, half in the costume, half in the sweatpants he’s decided to put on.

“What?”

“How do you find anything in here?”

“I have an organizational system set up. Sort of.”

“You gotta clean this room up, mate. This is a desk. Do you really need all these things?” Ashton says, picking up Luke’s hair dryer and dangling it between his fingers.

Luke huffs, pulling his shirt over his head and darting out of the closet, making to grab it from Ashton. “It’s for my hair! Of course I need it!”

“Wear a hat.”

Luke gasps in outrage as Ashton starts to rummage around further into his room, “You don’t need half these things. Sell them, put them in storage, do something with them! You need to focus on your school and less on all of this,” he says, gesturing vaguely to Luke’s cluttered dresser filled with makeup and magazines. He grabs the nearest trash can and starts to swipe it all in.

“Hey! Stop touching my things!”

“Are you angry?”

“Yes!”

“Good! Maybe that’ll motivate you to actually  _ work  _ for the spot you’ve earned here, instead of using it to goof off and win your ex back.”

Luke growls lightly, turning back to his desk to find the textbook. Ashton is rude and pushy and Luke wishes he wasn’t his ticket to passing this class.

“Ah ha!” Luke cries, finding the book and holding it up triumphantly in Ashton’s direction. Ashton raises an eyebrow.

“It’s still sealed.”

“Well I just haven’t gotten around to them yet.”

Ashton rolls his eyes. “Come on, we have to get through at least three chapters and it’s already close to 10pm. I’ll have to give you the abridged version, but I think we can make do. Now, do you at least have a notebook or a laptop or something for you to take notes with?” He sits down cross-legged on the floor, digging in his own bag to find a pen and some paper. Luke rolls his own eyes and grabs his laptop from where he’d left it on his bed, sitting down next to Ashton. It’s going to be a long night.

\-----

“Mom, I already told you I’m not coming home until Christmas this year. I have too many things to do at school before the term is over and it’s such a waste of money to fly home for five days,” Luke says into the phone. He’s explained this to his mother at least once a week since October, that even though he gets time off from Thanksgiving he won’t be going back to Australia for the short break. He’d lose half the trip to the flights anyways, and it seems silly with winter break in only four weeks. Besides, Ashton has been helping him study steadily since their meeting after the failed costume party and he had convinced him that the extra few days off would give them plenty of time to work on catching him up on the concepts he’s been having trouble with in class. It’s gotten easier since he’s had Ashton to walk him through the things he’s struggling with.

“I just don’t understand why you can’t come home to see us. We miss you, you know. And why aren’t you going to spend the holiday with Jack’s family?

“I already told you Mom, we’re still broken up. And I have a couple friends who said I could spend the holiday with them instead.”

Ashton rolls his eyes from where he’s sitting at Luke’s desk. Luke sticks his tongue out at him, earning him a grin. Under Ashton’s guidance, his room has started to look less like a sample sale blew through it. He’s organized his desk and bought him a second chair, so they can both share the desk space. They’d finally organized the rest of his room too, so Luke can actually see the floor and the things in his closet. It’s been sweet of Ashton to take on Luke as his pet project, considering all the other work that Ashton already has.

Ashton makes a “wrap it up” motion with his hand. Luke huffs, flopping down on the bed next to Petunia. 

“Mom, I’ve got to go now. My friend is being annoying and telling me to get off the phone to study. I’ll call you later.” His mom chuckles, but wishes him well and ends the call. Luke puts his phone down, rubbing Petunia’s ears.

“Define malum prohibitum.”

“ Malum prohibitum is, um…”

“An act prohib--”

“An act prohibited by law. Like jaywalking or chewing gum in Singapore,” Luke exclaims, grinning when Ashton nods at him.

“Good. So therefore malum in se would mean…”

“Is an action that’s evil in itself. Assault, murder, white shoes after labour day.”

Luke earns a chuckle from Ashton. He basks a little in the praise. He’s always pleased whenever he can prove to Ashton that he’s actually been listening to what he says. And he likes making him laugh. The sound is warm and inviting, reminding him of the beaches back home, of all the good times he used to spend with Niall, Louis, Zayn, and Liam back at uni, staying up late to play guitar and making terrible music that they’d all been so proud of in the dark of night. He misses them all, feels incredibly homesick for both Australia and London. Being with Ashton, though, makes him feel a little better, a little more like he’s found his place in the world.

“What are you staring at?”

“Just thinking. Are you sure you don’t want to spend the holiday with Michael and me? We’re only going to hang out in his flat, watching Marvel movies and eating terrible food. I know you have to study, but surely we can spend one night doing something fun,” Luke pleads. 

It’s been an ongoing argument between them since Michael offered them both to spend Thanksgiving with him. Granted, he only knows him from the music store, but they’d become fast friends after Luke managed to lawyer his way into getting both of Michael’s dogs back from his ex. Plus, they both play guitar, which had made their friendship a sure thing. Luke has been going to the music store for a chance to breathe and get away from Jack and Harry and law school. It’s been nice, made him feel the same way Ashton does, like he’s back at home in his own headspace and at peace. Michael hasn’t met Ashton yet, but Luke has talked about him enough that Michael said he felt comfortable enough having him over for the day. Ashton is still standing firm on his stance that he should be in his dorm studying since “I haven’t been able to do anything of my own since I’ve been helping you.” (Which is a lie. Luke’s pretty sure Ashton doesn’t sleep so he has plenty of time during the day to study.)

“I already told you I have to read over all of the paperwork for the internship next semester. You know, the one you’ve been working to try and get?”

“One night isn’t going to do anything. Besides, you can bring your stuff with you. Michael won’t mind.”

Ashton opens his mouth to argue again when Luke’s phone starts ringing. Frowning, Luke flips it over and sees Michael’s name displayed. He swipes to answer it.

“Hel-”

“I BROKE HIS NOSE!” Michael wails across the line loudly. Luke winces, pulling the phone back from his ear. Even Ashton cringes from his spot at the desk.

“Whose nose?”

“The hot UPS guy! Calum! He came in today to deliver a package and I thought I’d given that thing you taught me a go-” 

“The bend and snap?” Luke interrupts. Ashton raises his eyebrows, lips twisting up in a barely contained laugh. Luke gives him the finger.

“Yeah that! So I dropped the pen and leaned down to grab it, except he leaned down at the same and when I came up I broke his nose with my elbow,” Michael sniffles across the line. 

“Where are you now?” 

“The local ER. I felt so bad I had to take him. But it’s like, the day before Thanksgiving, so it’s packed and we didn’t have any ice for his nose, so he’s just bleeding everywhere and he’s never going to go out with me now that I’ve broken his nose!”

“Calm down, Mikey. I’m sure it’s not that bad. Listen, why don’t Ashton and I come over and see you two? Maybe having a buffer will make it easier,” Luke says, ignoring Ashton’s frantic gesturing. It’ll do Ashton some good to talk to other people. He’s too much of a hermit as it is.

“Would you?”

“Yeah, send us the location and we’ll be there soon.” 

Luke hangs up the phone while Ashton glowers at him. “You owe me big time.”

Luke rolls his eyes. “Just bring the books with us and we can study there. I’ve seen the way Calum looks at Michael when he delivers. Trust me, they won’t need us there for very long.”

\---

Luke is excited that it’s finally close to winter break. He can finally go home, see his parents and his brothers, and finally see some sun and go to the beach. He didn’t think it was possible, but Cambridge has been colder than London ever was at Christmas and Luke officially hates it. He’s finished all his exams (he’d been top in all his classes, thank you very much) and the only thing left to do is pack, say goodbye to Jack, and go to the little Christmas party Michael and Calum are hosting at Michael’s place. Despite Michael’s crying in the ER, Calum had forgiven him on the condition that Michael would go on a date with him. It’s only been a month, but they’re both sappy and in love. It warms Luke’s heart and makes him miss all the good times he’d had with Jack.

There’s a soft knock on his door and Ashton pokes his head around it. 

“Merry Christmas, Ash!”

“Not quite yet. But I have a gift for you and I wanted to give it to you before the party.” Ashton steps into the room, holding out a wrapped gift to Luke.

Luke takes it from him. “I don’t have anything for you.”

Ashton waves him off. “Don’t worry about it. It’s just something small. You mentioned you missed music, so I thought you might like this.”

Curious, Luke pulls the paper off the small box, opening it. Inside is a guitar pick on a necklace chord, with his initials on one side and the little Harvard chest on the other. Luke is unexpectedly warm looking at it, rubbing it between his fingers. Ashton must’ve gotten it made just for him. It’s sweet and thoughtful that Ashton has come to know Luke well enough in the last few months to know what he likes, what he enjoys doing.

“Oh, Ashton it’s wonderful. But I didn’t get you a gift.”

“Think of you passing as your gift to me. You put in all that hard work and look where you are. One more class with Callahan and then you’ll probably get that internship.”

“You think so?”

“I’m not the teacher’s assistant for nothing,” Ashton winks. Luke giggles. He hasn’t felt like this since the first time Jack smiled at him at uni. He feels soft and young, basking in Ashton’s smile and pride. Ashton opens his mouth to say something when there’s another knock on his door.

“Hey, Luke, have you seen Harry anywhere?” Jack says, poking his head into the room.

Luke is tongue tied. This is the first time Jack has talked to him since the failed party, outside of the few times they’ve interacted in class. He’d forgotten how intense it is being under Jack’s gaze. 

“Luke? Have you seen him?” Jack repeats. Luke shakes his head, unable to say the words. Jack sighs, exasperated. “Great, we’re gonna be late for our flight. Thanks anyways.” Jack turns and leaves. 

“Hey, it’s okay,” Ashton whispers, wrapping his arm around Luke’s shoulder and squeezing. Luke hadn’t even realized he’d been crying until then. He frantically wipes the tears away. 

“Look how far you’ve come,” Ashton continues, “You’re a proper law student now, with books you read and a planner you fill and you’re going to have an internship at a real law firm soon. You don’t need him, Luke. You’re so much more than what everyone thinks you are.”

Luke sniffles, returning Ashton’s hug, “You’re a really good friend, Ash. I would’ve never passed without you.”

“Hey, only for you Luke. Don’t go spreading around that I’m helpful. It’ll get me a reputation, you know.” Ashton smiles, pressing a kiss to Luke’s forehead. Luke giggles, “Get Petunia and let's go. We’ve got a party to get to.”

Luke clips the leash to Petunia's collar, coaxing her off the bed and leading her out the door. Maybe law school hasn’t sucked as much as he thought it would. After all, he has his dog and three friends. What more could he ask for?

**Author's Note:**

> Come find me on [tumblr!](https://pixiegrl.tumblr.com/) Talk to me about Stardust, 5sos, Luke Hemmings, or you can sidetrack me by giving me more fic ideas


End file.
